


the syntax of things

by coricomile



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2017-01-01
Packaged: 2018-09-01 23:14:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8642032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coricomile/pseuds/coricomile
Summary: Jeff never knows what to do in hospitals, no matter how many times he's been in and out of them, both on his own and with teammates. There's no real protocol, nothing to do but feel sorry for someone and shift awkwardly until he's done his duty or whatever. He hates it, and he hates that Mike's the one in the bed. Again.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [absention](https://archiveofourown.org/users/absention/gifts).



> There wasn't really any fixing of anything, and this is set before any of the big fix-it's needed to be applied, but I hope you still enjoy!

Mike looks like shit. Jeff settles into the red chair at the side of his bed, careful not to upset any of the machinery. Mike's not hooked up to anything, not now anyway, but Jeff doesn't want to set off an alarm or unplug something that might be needed later. He never knows what to do in hospitals, no matter how many times he's been in and out of them, both on his own and with teammates. There's no real protocol, nothing to do but feel sorry for someone and shift awkwardly until he's done his duty or whatever. He hates it, and he hates that Mike's the one in the bed. Again. 

Luca roots out from Jeff's hoodie pocket, the brown tip of her nose peeking out. Her spiky head pops out after a moment, raised high. Jeff cups his hand and lets her crawl into it, her tiny paws scratching against his skin. Her soft underbelly is warm, her weight familiar and comforting. Jeff strokes a finger down her pale spines. It's easier to look at her than the bandages taped down over Mike's shoulder, or the defeated curl of Mida next to his head. 

"They look bad," Luca says softly. She sinks her claws into Jeff's sleeve and climbs until she can settle on his shoulder. The spines along her sides tickle at Jeff's neck, but he's gotten used to it over the years. 

"Two surgeries in three months," Jeff says, just as quietly. "It's a lot, even for him." He watches Mike's chest rise and fall, watches Mida's whiskers twitch as she dreams. He knows both surgeries went well, the doctor himself had said so, but his stomach still twists. Mike shouldn't have kept playing on injuries, but the team had needed him. The team always needed him. 

"I wish he had Mida's skin," Luca sighs. "He needs it way more than she does." Jeff laughs. It's true. Mida has a nearly bulletproof hide and the worst threat she faces regularly is Luca's spines. They're a matched set, through and through. 

Luca tumbles down Jeff's chest, hopping onto the bed. She waddles up the mattress and up over Mike's stomach. Mike groans and opens one eye. It's glazed over, whatever painkillers he's on obviously doing their work. His left hand comes up slowly to pet slowly over Luca's back. She bows a little under him, arching so her spines don't prick him. Jeff's almost used to seeing someone else touch her, but it's still weird. A frisson of Luca's joy pings at the back of Jeff's mind and disappears just as quickly. 

"How're you doing?" Jeff asks. Mike turns his head carefully, upsetting Mida's careful perch on his pillow. Mida flexes her claws in warning, but Mike ignores her. That or he doesn't even notice. He's always goes a little loopy when there's painkillers involved. 

"Feel like shit," Mike mumbles, his voice rough. Jeff reaches for the glass of water on the nightstand and hands it over. Mike sits up, Luca tumbling into his lap and Mida tipping off to the side, and takes a slow sip. The stitches on his left arm have only just been taken out, and the scar stands out bright against his pale skin. 

"Stop moving," Mida grumbles. She stands up and stretches, her tail flipping into the air briefly in a flash of white. She wobbles on her short little legs, climbing over Mike's legs and down into Jeff's lap. "You're ruining a good nap."

Jeff's always surprised at how heavy Mida is. She's not very big, but honey badgers are dense everywhere. Jeff scratches his fingers through the coarse white fur on her back and Mida pats his knee with a paw. Jeff can't get into the bed with Mike- it's too small, for starters, and there isn't a way to get close without upsetting one of his sore places- but this is at least something he can do.

"You weren't the one getting cut open," Mike mutters. "You don't need the fucking nap." Mida yawns, pulling her lip back over her sharp fangs. She's strong enough to bite through concrete, but too soft hearted to do anything more than give warning nips. 

Luca curls up ipnto a ball over Mike's thighs. Her pale spines nearly blend into the hospital blanket, but Mike doesn't even need to look to find the exact place where her soft nose peeks through. Some of the tension that's been riding around on Jeff's shoulders lightens. There's still a long way to go, but Mike's okay. He'll get better. The team will have their captain and Jeff will have Mike right there with him again. 

"We miss you," Luca whispers, because she's always willing to say what Jeff isn't. Mike rubs his finger between Luca's wide, earnest eyes and smiles, just a little. 

"I miss you, too," he says. "I'll be out in no time."

"Will you all just shut up?" Mida asks, lifting her head, her round, sleepy eyes narrowed. Jeff strokes a long path down her smooth back and she glances over at him. "I should have been your daemon. You're the only one with any sense around here." Jeff grins at Mike in victory, even as his heart pounds a little harder in his chest. 

"You're such a bitch," Mike says. It's too fond to have any heat in it. Luca licks his fingertips and yawns. Visiting hours aren't all that long, and Jeff doesn't have much to say, but he likes seeing Mike moving around, his hands twitching with the need to scratch at his bandages and the slow clearing of his eyes. He'll need more meds soon, and he probably shouldn't be sitting up, but he looks better this way. 

"Gonna take care of me when I get out?" Mike asks. It's been quiet for awhile, just the sound of their breathing and the muffled echo of the rest of the hospital. 

"Why would I force you on else?" Jeff asks. Mike grins. He's a shitty patient and Mida gets restless when she's forced to be still for too long and Luca is overbearing in a way Jeff tries not to be, but Jeff wouldn't trust anyone else to do it right. 

"Good man, Carts," Mike says. He reaches out just enough to lay his hand on Mida's back, his fingers curling over Jeff's. It completes the circuit, all four of them linked, and Jeff can feel each one of them in his head, can feel the ache of Mike's shoulders and the warm contentedness Mida's radiating and the worry Luca's trying to hide. 

"Go to sleep," Jeff says, because he's not really brave enough to say anything else. Mike just looks at him for a moment, his eyes dark and knowing, before nodding. Luca scurries up towards the pillows as Mike settles back down, waiting until he's stopped moving to curl up next to his head. She's a bright spot against the darkness of his hair, one of her paws resting on his forehead like she's feeling for a temperature. 

Jeff sinks his fingers into Mida's fur and tries to press whatever fondness and relief he's feeling into her thick skin. They'll get through it. They've gotten through so much already. They'll get through anything together.

**Author's Note:**

> For reference, here are Mike and Jeff's daemons:
> 
> Mida:  
>    
> 
> 
> Luca:


End file.
